Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-29
Five O'Clock Tea i'm London.

London Correspondence San Francisco Argonaut.
The talk which goes on at the average O'Clock
tea is usually OF neither brilliant nor strikingly
Intellectual character. Young English ladies and
gentlemen, as they run In good society nowadays,
don't come out strong as cultured conversational
lists. They know more about hunting, shooting,
cricket. tennis, horses and dogs than they
do OF history or literature. They are TO
Tally ana utterly unacqualnted with Shakes
peare, except as far as he IS known to
be the author Of one or two OF the plays
which Henry Irving and Ellen Terry have been
playing ut the Lyceum. Dickens they are gener-
ally very hazy about and never quote. Thackeray
they consider and call snob, without In the least
Knowing why or bling able TO tell You. Nine
tenths Of them would perhaps have never heard Of
him at all had not Lord BeacOnsfeld taken him for
one OF his prototypes in "Endymion." That called
attention TO him and made people inquire who he
was. AS for the Old people, they are not
much better. Their stock In trade Is gossip and
detractiOn, 1avorrd with servants, whether in club,
manners are considerably better than those OF the
young 'uns but mentally they don't soar a whit
higher. remember once speaking to an old lady
OF over seventy. a lady with title TO her name,
and withal the daughter OF an earl about Shake
speare. got long series OF 'ohs, 'yes's?" and
remarks until stopped with "Don't you think
so?' and waited for a reply.
Il really don't know anything about Shake
speare," she said, with a blush. SMy father for
babe myself and my sisters 70 read him when 1
was girl. He didn't think him ut for girls to
Poor Shakespeare! don't suppose any one ever
heard OF her father, the earl.
"But why didn't you read him after you became
a woman and married?"
She shook her head.
"Oh, dear no. shouldn't think OF going against
my fathers advice even now"
And now just here. a bit OF O'Clock tea soon
sample Of the bulk
lawfully jolly place, Homburg,
"Ya-as. Tummy's over there, isn't he?"
But say; didn't you say yon were going to
shoot at the Breechloader's at first?"
"No. Coin with Bartie Paget for cruise in his
"How awfully jolly. Where"
'.D'no. Somewhere on the coast of Germany.
Germany's got coast, hasn't IT,"
''Going TO hunt this season, OF course?r
..0l. dear, no: ! have sold the darling Polo"
what! Sold Polo? Never"
"Have really. Tommy Beauclerc gave me sew
enty gulneas for her. Fact is she's been fired
twice, don't you know. and that" &C.
''She was an awfully jolly mare, SO ft"
"Besides want new habit, and papa says he
can't anord TO give me one. haven't a farthng
OF my last quarters allowance LETT Lost every ha
"By-the-bye. They say they're going to alter
the rules OF Tennis abolish faults and back hand
ers.r
rubbish! Better abolish the game altogether. "
80 say l. And-oh, look here. Seen Barley
Villers lately7 No? 1 thought not" "a quizzlcal
''Wny, what do you mean?"
sizes hooked IL. Jews got to hot for him.,
81 always thought he'd come to grief after that
wretched marriage OF his. Fancy! she hadn't a
fartnlng. A cergyman's daugter with IA couple OF
dozen brothers. and most OF em in debt"
81 met Talbot-you know Percy Talbot, OF the
BueS-the other day, and he was praiSif the gals
beauty. Haw-haw! Said she was an awfully good
gal, too Haw-haw."
what? Good without afartning? Much use in
that, should say. Percy always was an ass"
sis that the gal the prince admired at GOOdwOOd?
1t is? No, thanks, no sugar"
"Have some cow7' From the funny many
"Thanks, no cream"
"Cream? Calves brains" (From the ditto)
"NO cream and sugar? Why, that's the way
drink haro No
tea comes from, don't you know. So Char ey
vereker, OF the Bays, told me. He's just back
from there"
"1hat reminds me. I'm so awfully disguised
with my maid TowDey. just fancy. She won't
drink anything but Java-no, Japan tea. think
It's Japan. And give her beer money, too"
shameful! should give her warning at once ~
"Dfd you pronounced yeOl hear Bobby Travers
ts up tree? Had 10 leave the GrenadierS-runed
| at Monte Carlo. Wasn't anything for him to do
| but go out TO New York at once"
"What for? A cattle rancho at Tchick- ah-go?n,
mo- Yankee heiress. saw him the day he
left and he said: some good In the trumpery title
after all. Old boy. It's only honorable, but it's
good for half q million dollars at the very least
Sharp chap, Bobby"
"Oh, Major Brabazon, I've got the sweetest
Yorkshire terrier coming to me from my Uncle
Georg. such Daring"
"Really? Though, you only cared for turnspits"
"You mean ddehhunds, dessay. Oh, dear no,
"ay sister, Louisa, has Danish boarhound that
sleeps on the foot OF her bed Imagine that. He
stands four feet high and weighs 40 pounds"
"The dear!'
"Ftne BEAST"
.Going TO Lady Jampots to nightg"
"No; were not asked"